The Norwalk Veterans Memorial Committee, a subcommittee of the Norwalk Military & Veterans Liaison Committee has announced that the annual Cemetery Visitation and Veterans Memorial Ceremony will take place on Sunday, May 21, 2023.

The day will begin at 10 a.m. at Norwalk City Hall (125 East Ave.) with a brief service to lower the flag to half-mast and sound Taps. From there, two groups of volunteers will replace the flags at each of the cemeteries in Norwalk to honor their veterans. Both groups will return to Veterans Park for the Veterans Memorial Ceremony.

The Veterans Memorial Ceremony (formerly known as the Shea-Magrath Ceremony and held at Veterans Memorial Park (42 Seaview Ave.) will be preceded by a concert performed by Brien McMahon at 12:30 p.m.

The ceremony will begin at 1 p.m. and include remarks from Paulo Barros, USMC. Following the Ceremony, the Frank C. Godfrey American Legion Post 12 (60 County Street) will host a reception.

All events are open to the public and the community is invited to honor Norwalk’s veterans.

(Memorial Day takes place this year on Monday, May 29.)

Schedule

The visitation schedule is as follows (the schedule with a map can also be found here).

• 10 a.m. — Opening service at Norwalk City Hall (125 East Ave.)

Cemetery Visitation – Group A

• 10:15 a.m. — World War I Monument at the Town Green

• 10:30 a.m. — Riverside Cemetery

• 10:45 a.m. — St. Mary’s Cemetery

• 11 a.m. — Norwalk Union Cemetery

• 11:15 a.m. — Pine Island Cemetery

• 11:30 a.m. — East Norwalk Historical Center

• 11:45 a.m. — East Norwalk Library

Cemetery Visitation – Group B

• 10:15 a.m. — Civil War Monument

• 10:30 a.m. — Rowayton Union Cemetery (on Rowayton Avenue)

• 10:45 a.m. — Brookside Cemetery / Old 5 Mile River

• 11 a.m. — Independent Hebrew Cemetery

• 11:15 a.m. — St. John’s Cemetery

• 11:30 a.m. — Beth Israel Cemetery and Temple Israel Cemetery

• 11:45 a.m. — Beth El Cemetery

• 12:30 p.m. — Concert performed by the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra

• 1 p.m. — Veterans Memorial Ceremony

• 2 p.m. — Reception at the Frank C. Godfrey American Legion Post 12 (60 County Street)

About the Military & Veterans Liaison Committee and Veterans Memorial Committee

The Military & Veterans Liaison Committee supports all City of Norwalk’s residents who are serving on active duty, National Guard, or Reserves, and all veterans.

Our goal is to facilitate the City of Norwalk’s services to its resident Service Members, Veterans, and their families; and to provide benefits and programs similar to those available on active duty bases and stations.

The NVMC areas of focus are business and employment, education, finance, healthcare (including counseling and substance abuse), housing, legal, and military (those still serving).

The Veterans Memorial Committee, a subcommittee of the Norwalk Military & Veterans Liaison Committee, organizes and manage major patriotic events within the community.

For more information on both of these committees, please visit NorwalkVets.org.